Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out for the open road, you must get to know your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains, electrical connector(s), lights, tires and brakes.
During your trip, occasionally check to be sure that the load is secure, and that the lights and trailer brakes are still working.
Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You will need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And, because of the increased vehicle length, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, move your hand to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible, have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn signals
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly connected, the trailer lights will also flash to alert other drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you are seeing your signals when, in fact, they are not. It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working. You must also check the lights every time you disconnect and then reconnect the wires.
WARNING
Do not connect a trailer lighting system directly to your vehicle’s lighting system. Use an approved trailer wiring harness. Failure to do so could result in damage to the vehicle electrical system and/or personal injury. Consult an authorized HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.
Driving on hills
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get overheated and may not operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the maximum trailer weight without trailer brakes and you have a automatic transmission, you should drive in D (Drive) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when towing a trailer will minimize heat build-up and extend the life of your transmission.
NOTICE
To prevent engine and/or transmission overheating:
Parking on hills
Generally, if you have a trailer attached to your vehicle, you should not park your vehicle on a hill.
However, if you ever have to park your trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Pull the vehicle into the parking space. Turn the steering wheel in the direction of the curb (right if headed down hill, left if headed up hill).
2. Shift the gear to P (Park).
3. Set the parking brake and shut off the vehicle.
4. Place wheel chocks under the trailer wheels on the down hill side of the wheels.
5. Start the vehicle, hold the brakes, shift to neutral, release the parking brake and slowly release the brakes until the trailer chocks absorb the load.
6. Reapply the brakes and parking brakes.
7. Shift the gear to P (Park) when the vehicle is parked on a uphill grade and in R (Reverse) on a downhill.
8. Shut off the vehicle and release the vehicle brakes but leave the parking brake set.
WARNING
To prevent serious or fatal injury:
Driving the vehicle after it has been parked on a hill
1. With the gear in P (Park), apply your brakes and hold the brake pedal down while you:
2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Hyundai Santa Cruz 2021-2024 Owners Manual: Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Electronic Stability Control helps to
stabilize the vehicle during cornering
maneuvers.
ESC checks where you are steering and
where the vehicle is actually going. ESC
applies braking pressure to any one of
the vehicle's brakes and intervenes in the
engine management system to assist the
driv ...
Hyundai Santa Cruz 2021-2024 Owners Manual: Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance
Assist Settings
Setting features
Blind-Spot Safety
With the engine on, select 'Driver > Blind-Spot Safety' from
the Settings menu to set whether to use
each function.
- If ‘Active Assist’ is selected, Blind-Spot
Collision-Avoidance Assist will warn
the driver with a warning message, an
audible warning ...